Shravanabelagola, Mar 14: The dharmic rites in connection with the
Mahamastakabhisheka celebrations 2006 ended at the Digambar Jain Mutt here on
Tuesday with the conclusion of the eight day Ashtanika Siddha Chakra pooja for
world peace that began on March 7.

It maybe
recalled here that the Mahamasthakabhisheka celebrations had commenced with a
similar Ashtanika pooja that lasts eight days. The pooja, which concluded today
evening with Acharya 108 Vardhamana Sagar Muni Maharaj and Acharya 108 Gunanandi
Muni Maharaj among others addressing the devotees inside the Bandara Basadi
after the Siddha Chakra pooja, marked the closure of dharmic rites in connection
with the Mahamasthakabhisheka celeberations. HH Jagadguru Karmayogi Swasthishri
Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji graced the occasion.

The Ashtanika
pooja began with the Siddha chakra aradhana, and Ashtavidharchana and Vinyanjali
later in the evening, to the Sahasra Koota Jina Bimba, encompassing all the 24
Teerthankaras. As a part of the pooja abhisheka, during the course of the pooja
that lasted eight days, the deity was worshipped with items increasing daily by
the multiples of eight. When the rituals ended today, the deity had received as
many as 2,400 abhishekas with different materials.

Acharya 108
Vardhamana Sagar Muni Maharaj speaking on the occasion said it was important for
a devotee to turn his mind totally toward divinity whenever he or she performs a
ritual or recites the name of a saint or deity in whom he believes lies the path
to salvation.

Acharya 108
Gunanandi Muni Maharaj, addressing the devotees explained that life of a human
being is nothing by an eternal quest to become one with the eternal truth, the
creator, who form or shape is beyond the grasp of man. "That is why we worship
Bhagawan Bahubali, who has attained salvation and has left behind the path for
attaining the same, for he has traveled that much more spiritual distance than
we have," the Acharya said.